The Horned Grebe is a small waterbird with a short, straight bill with a pale tip. Its breeding plumage includes a distinctive patch of bright buff feathers behind the eye ("horns") and extending back to the nape of the neck and contrasting sharply with its black head. The foreneck, flanks and upper breast are chestnut-red, while its back is black and belly white. This plumage is shared by both sexes.

Horned Grebes spend all of their life stages associated with water, so they are thought to be a good indicator of the health of a particular wetland ecosystem. Typical habitat is small ponds, marshes and wetlands, either natural or man-made.

Horned grebes arrive in the Northwest Territories in May. They build floating nests in shallow water, among willow, cattails or other plants for protection from predators and shelter from strong waves. They lay five to seven eggs that hatch in mid-June and July. Once hatched, chicks are almost immediately able to swim and dive underwater. However, during the first few weeks they often ride on the backs of their parents and can even go underwater with them during dives. Adults leave the Northwest Territories by mid-August and young leave by early September. They winter along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America.

Horned Grebes eat aquatic insects, small fish and crustaceans. They are known for eating their own feathers and even feed feathers to young chicks to aid in digestion.

Population size and trends

Horned Grebe numbers have declined in their wintering areas, but similar declines have not been observed in the NWT.

Threats

Potential threats in the Northwest Territories include predation on chicks by Northern Pike and gulls, as well as increases in nest predators such as crows, ravens, magpies, gulls, mink, and foxes. Climate change may cause loss of wetlands due to drought or changes in water quality.

Protection and recovery

COSEWIC assessed Horned Grebe as Special Concern in 2009 because of population decline and threats. Horned Grebe was listed as Special Concern under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) in 2017.

Horned Grebes and their nests are protected under the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act.